Refelctions.
In June of 2008 I graduated from California State University Hayward East Bay. I had a degree in History and A minor in Political Science. For the record If I was to go back to CSUEB, I would be 2 classes short of my Bachelors in Poli Sci. That is neither here nor there. Other than to explain this point. I left school because I was capping out on units and didn't want to particularly go through the Capstone class. Now I had originally gotten into school some years before to brush up on my tech skills and go back into the market large and in charge in 2001... We all know how that went (insert the dot bust). Now I had applied to a couple of different Grad schools, but I was turned down. I know why, but I am not here to discuss that either. I missed the cutoff to get my credential, because I was banking on Grad school. Now, we enter the job market and here is where I am kinda fucked.
All of my previous skills were set up for older tech that was no longer being supported. and my degree was not in a field that is easily employable. Unless you scour hard and work at it. I relocated and kept getting the same questions thrown at me and turned down for job offers. My older resume is a hodgepodge of short term contracts and all over the map. So older skills, no applicable degree, and a shitty job market equals no such luck finding employment. I relocated from San Bruno sometime in July and then made it over to Cupertino. Before I left SB I had an interview with a Company called Invisible IT. They were based in Mountain View and were an IT firm that companies outsourced their IT staff to. I would be working their Helpdesk. I had an interview with the Managed Services guy and it went really well. I knew shit about the current technical curve, but he liked my demeanor and my customer service. I was passed over, but I was told that I would be kept in mind. For those keeping score this is Begining of July 2008.
I spent the next nine months looking for work. I couldn't find any. After a certain point I actually decided to go back to school. I was still golden for financial aid and I could get tech skills to add to my resume and hopefully be attractive enough to get a job. So my first quarter back is Winter or January 2009. This was a small miracle. I was able to use the money that I got from student loans to take care of some back debt, getting my car and my license current and legal, and I was even able to get some work that needed to be done on the car taken care of. This wasn't a great time and I was not happy, but I had a roof over my head and friends looking out for me. This is and was better than some people I had known at the time or know currently. So I get through the first quarter back and prep to go into the second quarter, when on April 1st, I get a ping from Miscca on my IM client. She is speaking on behalf of the Managed Services guy I interviewed with back in July. He would like to get in contact with me. I pass my cell onto her and within 2 minutes I get a call. He wants me to come in the next day for another interview. I agree and move on. Said manager also gets blown shit because he set up an interview with someone on April Fool's day. But I digress.
So I get into the interview the next day. I spend maybe 30 minutes in the shop this time around. I spend the first 10 minutes with the manager and we catch up on what I have been doing since the last time we chatted. It was pleasant and it was nice. A good BS session essentially. Then I get to meet the Director of Managed Services... Ouch... The Director takes the next 20 minutes to shred me on my resume and just about every weakness I have. It's rough, it's brutal, and to be honest, made me cry a little on the inside. Once he was done, we shook hands, and then he went to go get the Manager. I told the Manager that I think I had a bad meeting with the Director. The Manager reassured me and said that it probably went better than I thought and that he would be in touch. I think I had coffee with Miscca after that, I am not sure. Either way, I went home and went about my routine. I got a call later and it was the Manager. I asked him what I could do for him and he said, How about (xxx) a year? He said the Director liked me and that they wanted to bring me on. I accepted. I had a fun couple of days filling out paperwork and then I started at way to early on a Monday.
That was a year and a half ago. I survived the company being sold and moved to Fremont. I survived several fights with fellow co-workers who would knock heads with me and try to dictate how to do my job. I took honest and critical feedback and I improved. I grew, I developed, and more importantly I gained respect and self confidence in what I was doing. I was moved from my Helpdesk gig by my company in July of this year to go to an on-site client and start supporting them there. This was the next logical step in the learning curve and further development... Things happened and the company I was sent to couldn't afford to keep me. Much as they wanted to. I was let go in the middle of October, because there simply was no work for me. I have been looking since mid-October. On Monday I will be going to what will equate to my 5th job interview since that time. Several of them have actually sought me out, rather than me going to see them. I am heartened by this. It means to me that I am actually worth-while and have a good skill set. Now to get over the hump and actually get employed.